WASHINGTON (AP) — Apocalyptic images of blazing buildings and window-smashing protesters pop up on the TV screen as a caller to a 911 emergency line reaches voicemail. The computer offers to take reports of rapes, murders or home invasions, adding, “Our estimated wait time is five days.”
With recent shootings that have killed children and dozens of other people in cities with large Black populations like New York, Atlanta and Chicago, the GOP is trying to play offense, ominously. Ads like Trump’s and other Republican messaging insinuate that the rare looting and violence that marred largely peaceful social justice protests are spreading and foretell a wave of mayhem that they claim Democrats would abet with anti-police policies.
Trump emphasized that menacing theme at the White House on Thursday, calling proponents of defunding the police “crazy.” Noting to a visiting group of Hispanic Americans that many immigrants had fled dangerous countries, Trump added, “They know what happens when the police cannot protect the innocent, when the rule of law is destroyed.”
Democrats call the GOP drive an obvious diversion from issues they say voters care most about: the coronavirus pandemic that Trump has failed to control, the economic shutdown, recession-level unemployment, racial justice and health care.
They say Biden, the party's presumptive presidential nominee, has a well-honed moderate record that makes Republican efforts to cast him as a radical fruitless. And they say the GOP is fanning the flames of racism, preying on white suburbanites worried that televised scenes of burning buildings mean their neighborhoods are next.
“It’s not even subtle. We’re well beyond dog whistle,” said Ian Russell, a Democratic consultant.
The GOP spearhead comes with polls showing that Trump’s reelection and Republican control of the Senate may be in jeopardy in November’s voting. It also follows weeks of protests following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police and during a period that’s seen Trump call the phrase “Black Lives Matter” a “symbol of hate,” defend Confederate commanders and retweet a supporter yelling, ”White power!”
Biden supports overhauling police practices and budgets but has repeatedly disavowed calls for defunding the police, as have most congressional Democrats. Republicans often suggest the term means that proponents want to abolish entire departments — and some far-left Democrats do — but most in the party consider it a call to shift some police resources to social welfare and other agencies.
Biden aides say it's a fantasy to cast the former vice president as seeking to dismantle police departments or ready to heed those who would. “Donald Trump is a chronic liar" who is “desperate to run against a fictitious opponent instead of Joe Biden," said Biden spokesperson Andrew Bates.
Trump campaign spokesperson Tim Murtaugh called it “ridiculous” for Democrats to say the GOP tactic is racist.
“All Americans, no matter who they are or where they live, should be concerned about the anarchists and lawless mobs roaming the streets with the tacit approval of Joe Biden and the Democrats,” Murtaugh said.
Republican strategists say the issue will help woo suburban voters, a pivotal bloc that’s abandoned Trump over his caustic divisiveness. “They want to be able to call 911 and know someone’s coming,” said Sarah Chamberlain, president of the centrist Republican Main Street Coalition.
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Donald Trump through the years
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Donald Trump through the years
Donald Trump with Alfred Eisenpreis, New York City Economic Development Administrator. Sketch of new 1,400 room Renovation project of Commodore Hotel.
(Photo by NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
Donald Trump pauses in his apartment 5/20 after receiving the news that the Board of Estimate unanimously approved a 40-year tax abatement plan. Under the plan Trump will purchase and refurbish the Commodore Hotel, which closed into doors 5/18, from the Penn Central Transportation Corp. In return for his $10-million-dollar purchase and up to $100 million face-lifting investment, Trump will have no real estate taxes for 40 years.
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Real estate developer Donald Trump announces intentions to build a $100 million dollar Regency Hotel.
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Donald Trump stands behind architect's model of City Hall Plaza.
(Photo by Frank Russo/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
Donald Trump and Ivana Trump attend Roy Cohn's birthday party in February 1980 in New York City.
(Photo by Sonia Moskowitz/Getty Images)
Donna Mills and Donald Trump during 1983 Annual American Image Awards at Sheraton Center in New York City, New York, United States.
(Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage)
Donald Trump attends 38th Annual Horatio Alger Awards Dinner on May 10, 1985 at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City.
(Photo by Ron Galella/WireImage)
Portrait of real estate mogul Donald John Trump (b.1946), smiling slightly and facing to his right, 1983. New York.
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Boxing promoter Don King holds up the arms of Mike Tyson and former champion Larry Holmes during a press conference here 12/1. Looking on is Donald Trump. The fight will be held at the Trump Plaza Hotel.
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Donald Trump, real estate mogul, entrepreneur, and billionare poses in the foyer of his home in August 1987 in Greenwich, Connecticut.
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Donald Trump Jr. and Donald Trump during 1988 U.S. Open - September 3, 1988 at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, New York, United States.
(Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage)
Ivana Trump and Donald Trump during Mike Tyson vs Michael Spinks Fight at Trump Plaza - June 27, 1988 at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States.
(Photo by Ron Galella/WireImage)
Billionaire Donald Trump and his wife Ivana arrive 04 December 1989 at a social engagement in New York.
(Photo credit should read SWERZEY/AFP/Getty Images)
Donald Trump and Daughter Ivanka Trump during Maybelline Presents 1991 Look of the Year at Plaza Hotel in New York City, New York, United States.
(Photo by Ron Galella/WireImage)
Donald Trump attends 'Hoop-La' Special Olympics Basketball Game on June 25, 1992 at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.
(Photo by Ron Galella/WireImage)
Donald Trump and Joan Rivers during Opening of The Rose Room in the Plaza Hotel at Plaza Hotel Rose Room in New York City, New York, United States.
(Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage)
Donald Trump touches 07 April 1993 Marla Maples stomach to confirm published reports that the actress is pregnant with his child. The two arrived for Maples appearance in the Broadway musical 'The Will Rogers Follies'.
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US business tycoon Donald Trump enters the PLaza Hotel in New York past supporters 21 December 1994. Hundreds of supporters showed up at a news conference where Trump denied a New York newspaper report that the Sultan of Brunei had bid 300 million USD to buy the Manhattan hotel.
(Photo credit should read DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images)
Donald Trump and Christine Whitman during Opening of New Warner Bros. Store in Trump Plaza Casino at Trump Plaza Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States.
(Photo by Ron Galella/WireImage)
Donald Trump attends Marc Jacobs Fashion Show on April 4, 1995 at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.
(Photo by Ron Galella/WireImage)
Boxing: IBC Heavyweight Title: View of celebrity businessman Donald Trump and actor Steven Seagal seated ringside during Lennox Lewis vs Tommy Morrison fight at Boardwalk Convention Hall. Atlantic City, NJ. (Photo by John Iacono /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)
New York real estate giant Donald Trump poses in his Trump Tower office on a giant letter 'T' on May 8, 1996.
(TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)
Portrait of Marla Maples and her husband, businessman Donald Trump, with their daughter Tiffany, as they pose together at the Mar-a-Lago estate, Palm Beach, Florida, 1996.
(Photo by Davidoff Studios/Getty Images)
Donald Trump and Ron Delsner backstage at a KISS concert at Madison Squre Garden in New York City on July 25, 1996.
(Photo by Ebet Roberts/Redferns)
Donald Trump attending Halloween party thrown by Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss at the Supper Club to kick off Fashion Week.
(Photo by Richard Corkery/NY Daily News via Getty Images)
Donald Trump open his new building at 1 Center Park West- The new Trump International Hotel and Tower.
(Photo byJames Hughes/NY Daily News via Getty Images)
Donald Trump and his girlfriend Celina Midelfar watch Conchita Martinez and Amanda Coetzer 07 September at US Open in Flushing Meadows, NY.
(TIMOTHY CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)
Celine Dion, husband Rene, Donald Trump & Ivanka Trump
(Photo by KMazur/WireImage)
Entrepreneur Donald Trump and Rev. Al Sharpton speak at a ribbon cutting ceremony for Sharpton's National Action Network Convention April 5, 2002 in New York City. The group aims to further the development of civil rights.
(Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Donald Trump and his girlfriend Melania Knauss attend the Marc Bouwer/Peta Fall/Winter 2002 Collection show February 14, 2002 during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City.
(Photo by George De Sota/Getty Images)
Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden
(Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images)
Donald Trump stands on the sidelines before the start of the AFC divisional playoffs between the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans on January 10, 2004 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Temperatures have reached as low as 7 degrees in the Foxboro area.
(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Donald Trump, Visionary Business Leader award honoree, poses with his children Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka at Fashion Group International's 22nd Annual 'Night Of Stars' at Cipriani's 42nd Street October 27, 2005 in New York City.
(Photo by Evan Agostini/Getty Images)
Eric Trump and Donald Trump attend the Chicago Bulls vs New Jersey Nets game at the IZOD Center on October 31, 2007 in East Rutherford, New York.
(Photo by James Devaney/WireImage)
Donald Trump delivers a speech with his son Barron after he was honored with the 2,327th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, CA, 16 January 2007.
(GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)
Portrait of former model Melania Trump and her husband, businessman Donald Trump, as they sit together at a table during the 16th annual 'Lady in Red' gala, hosted by LIFE (Leaders In Furthering Education), at the Mar-a-Lago club, Palm Beach, Florida, December 4, 2009.
(Photo by Michele Eve Sandberg/Corbis via Getty Images)
Donald Trump sands with Miss Universe 2009 Stefania Fernandez of Venezuela prior to the Miss Universe 2010 Pageant Final at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas on August 23, 2010. Miss Universe is an annual international beauty pageant and along with the Miss World is the most publicized beauty contest in the world. California clothing company Pacific Mills founded the contest 1952 and was acquired by Donald Trump in 1996.
(MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)
US tycoon Donald Trump arrives to speak at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at National Harbor, Maryland, outside Washington, on February 27, 2015.
(NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images)
Donald Trump speaks during the NRA-ILA Leadership Forum at the 2015 NRA Annual Meeting & Exhibits on April 10, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee. The annual NRA meeting and exhibit runs through Sunday.
(Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Real estate mogul and billionaire Donald Trump attends Golf legend Jack Nicklaus' Congressional Gold Medal ceremony in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda March 24, 2015 in Washington, DC. Trump announed on March 18 that he has launched a presidential exploratory committee.
(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Businessman Donald Trump speaks to guests gathered for the Republican Party of Iowa's Lincoln Dinner at the Iowa Events Center on May 16, 2015 in Des Moines, Iowa. The event sponsored by the Republican Party of Iowa gave several Republican presidential hopefuls an opportunity to strengthen their support among Iowa Republicans ahead of the 2016 Iowa caucus.
(Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump visits his Scottish golf course Turnberry with his children Ivanka Trump and Eric Trump on July 30, 2015 in Ayr, Scotland. Donald Trump answered questions from the media at a press conference.
(Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump speaks at his election night rally in Manhattan, New York, U.S., November 9, 2016.
(REUTERS/Carlo Allegri)
Singer Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump speak with the press after their meetings at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 in New York.
(TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)
Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump poses for a photo after an interview with Reuters in his office in Trump Tower, in the Manhattan borough of New York City, U.S., May 17, 2016.
(REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)
Coverage of the 2016 Republican National Convention from the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, which airs on all ABC News programs and platforms. On this final night of the convention, Donald Trump accepts the party's nomination for President of the United States.
(Photo by Ida Mae Astute/ABC via Getty Images)
U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump reacts to an answer his wife Melania gives during an interview on NBC's "Today" show in New York, April 21, 2016.
(REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo)
President-elect Donald Trump speaks to reporters following his meeting with Jack Ma, Chairman of Alibaba Group, meeting at Trump Tower, January 9, 2017 in New York City. President-elect Donald Trump and his transition team are in the process of filling cabinet and other high level positions for the new administration.
(Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands after Trump's address at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem May 23, 2017. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
U.S. President Donald Trump has coffee during a reception ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 20, 2017.Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence (L) and U.S. President Donald Trump appear on stage at a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. April 29, 2017. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
U.S. President Donald Trump holds up a U.S. Air Force Academy football jersey that was presented to him by team captain Weston Steelhammer during the presentation of the Commander-in-Chief trophy in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., May 2, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
U.S. President Donald Trump delivers the keynote address at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum's "Days of Remembrance" ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, U.S, April 25, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
U.S. President Donald Trump, U.S. first lady Melania Trump, their son Barron and the Easter Bunny arrive for the 139th annual White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, U.S., April 17, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
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But they also acknowledge that the tactic is designed to reorient what's so far been a difficult campaign season. “It gets us away from a referendum on the president, and more to a contest between the two parties,” said GOP consultant Robert Blizzard.
Experts say there is scant evidence to connect the protests or activists' calls to “defund the police” to recent city shootings. Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., has done just that in one of the few congressional races in which Republicans have pressed the issue so far.
“The radical movement to defund the police is creating havoc for the safety of our communities," Loeffler, embroiled in a difficult reelection campaign, said this week on “America's Newsroom" on Fox News. “And what’s happened is it’s resulted in the death of a child.”
Loeffler was referring to 8-year-old Secoriea Turner, who was fatally shot last weekend as she rode in a car near the site of recent protests in Atlanta. Police are seeking the shooter.
Homicides and shootings routinely rise in the spring and summer as days get longer and people spend more time outdoors, academics say. Other factors in killings include gang violence, and this year's spike could be fed by stress related to the virus, sky-high unemployment, stay-at-home orders and anger over police brutality.
“It's just speculation" and more data is needed, David Abrams, a University of Pennsylvania economist who studies crime, said of broadly attributing recent shootings to underlying causes.
Recent polling suggests Republicans have work to do to win over large swaths of the public.
About 3 in 4 people believe “defund the police” means revamping how police departments work, not erasing them, according to a Monmouth University poll conducted last month. Six in 10 Americans say Trump's handling of the protests worsened the situation.
An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted last month found major increases since 2015 in the number of white Americans who consider police violence a serious problem. Seven in 10 people back a complete reshaping or major changes to the criminal justice system, though only a quarter supports cutting law enforcement funding.
In the 2018 congressional elections, Trump vaulted immigration and supposedly dangerous “caravans" of Central Americans streaming toward the U.S. border a major GOP issue. Democrats focused on health care.
AP VoteCast, a nationwide survey of American voters, showed large majorities bucked Trump and thought immigrants arriving illegally should be given a chance for citizenship.
Democrats gained 40 House seats and captured control of the chamber that year.
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Associated Press writers Emily Swanson and Aamer Madhani contributed to this report.
